


Blame Game

by Treon



Category: White Collar
Genre: Episode Related, Gen, wc_rewatch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-25
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-07-18 05:37:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7301614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treon/pseuds/Treon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tag to 1x02, after the party, Peter and the FBI team return to the White Collar office</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blame Game

**Author's Note:**

> Prepared for wc_rewatch

It was a very gloomy FBI team that made its way up to the 21st floor of the Federal Building.  Their operation had failed, miserably so.  They've been outsmarted by a criminal.  
  
The elevator dinged on the proper floor, and they all trooped out.  
  
Jones mumbled "uh-oh" under his breath.  Peter followed his gaze and realized Hughes was still in his office.  Damn.  He had hoped that he'd have time before he had to present his report about tonight's fiasco. Enough time to find something that would turn the sour taste of defeat into something at least semi-sweet.  
  
Peter steeled himself.  He was so much not looking forward to this.  
  
Hughes was reviewing files, but he looked up from his work when Peter approached the office, his sharp eyes fixed on his agent.  Peter's dejection said it all. "Party was a bust?"  
  
Peter nodded. "Ghovat managed to give us the slip, but we think we have a visual on him." He tried to put a positive spin on it.  
  
"You _think_?"  
  
"We'll comb through surveillance. He must be on tape."  
  
"Where's Caffrey?"  
  
"I sent him home." Peter could have set his CI to work reviewing the video, and maybe that's what he should have done.  But he didn't feel up to hearing Neal's play-by-play as to why things went wrong, or his next crazy plan for how to make things right.  Most of all, he worried that the young man would be fingered as the reason for tonight's failure.  
  
Hughes seemed to accept that and turned back to his work with an unspoken dismissal.  
  
Peter hesitated at the door.  "This isn't Caffrey's fault."  
  
Hughes again looked up.  A slight frown crossed his face.  "Let's get one thing straight, Peter.  Caffrey may have come up with the idea, but _I'm_ the one who approved it."  
  
Peter slowly nodded. "I'll find Ghovat."  
  
"Make sure you do."  Hughes once again turned back to his work.  
  
Peter turned to rejoin his team.  Turns out, he had nothing to worry about.


End file.
